a new way to say ALOHA

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I’ve had an idea I’ve been pondering for a while, and recently I spent some time working with it. I tried a number of variations, and I’m not sure I’ve got it yet. I hope if you look at this long enough, you’ll see the word ALOHA. This isn’t my original idea: you see this done all over the islands in wood blocks and printed on bumper stickers. I wanted to translate it to paper, and it proved more challenging than I expected.

Maui Stamper Stampin Up Aloha handmade card
  • Stamps: None!
  • Color Palette: Basic White, Highland Heather, Granny Apple Green, Daffodil Delight, Real Red, Bermuda Bay
  • Accessories: Big Boss, Stitched Rectangle dies, Stitched Triangle dies, Stitched Circle dies (retired)

I created this as a slimline card in order to have space for the letters, but it seemed a little boring, so I started to play:

Maui Stamper Stampin Up Aloha handmade card

I went back to the 4 1/4″ x 5 1/2″ format for this version, and created a background using the Alcohol Ink technique. I did it on a vellum layer, which gives those bold colors a softer look.

Next I pulled out my Timeless Tropical stamps and created a bold background with Daffodil Delight and the hibiscus image:

Maui Stamper Stampin Up Aloha handmade card

On a roll, I used the palm tree (also from Timeless Tropical) in Granny Apply Green:

Honestly, I think it looks really crowded in 4 1/4″ x 5 1/2″, and I might give it a try with a custom card size and a handmade envelope. It’s a fun concept, but I think it still needs work. What do you think? Different size? Different background? What else?

In the News You Can Use department, our seasonal sale is coming up! Mark your calendar and order early, as I predict these essentials will fly out the door. Save on

  • Card stock 10%
  • Stampin’ Up! ink (exclusive of bundles) 15%
  • Dies – yes, dies – 20%

When you order your ink pads, be sure to add the coordinating ink refill to your order. It’s just a few extra dollars, and trust me, you’ll be so glad to have it on hand! Plan your orders in the Online Store so you’re ready to go on November 16th.

Maui Stamper Stampin Up Start With Savings Demonstrator Promotion November 2021

How would you spend $75? Through November 30, you can sign up to save on every order you place – and join a community of friendship, inspiration and fantastic support. Your $75 turns into $125 of Stampin’ Up! product that YOU choose – free of shipping – and is your ticket to the Maui Stampers and the inside world of Stampin’ Up! Contact me with your questions or join now!

Maui Stamper Stampin Up Edens Garden

Don’t forget the gorgeous Eden’s Garden Suite, available now as a sneak peek from the January – June 2022 Mini Catalog. The stamps and dies will be available in 2022, but the exclusive Designer Series Paper, Cotton paper, and embellishments are available only while supplies last or January 3, 2022, whichever comes first.

Beauty of the Earth Designer Series Paper

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We don’t see many traditional fall colors on Maui, but nevertheless I’ve fallen in love with Beauty of the Earth Designer Series paper. It conveys a feeling of autumn without having a strong regional sense, and the colors are so warm and inviting.

Maui Stamper Stampin Up Beauty of the Earth DSP Forever Flourishing Dies handmade card
  • Stamps: Forever Fern, Art Gallery
  • Color Palette: Basic White, Garden Green, Merry Merlot, Pumpkin Pie
  • Accessories: Copper Foil sheets, Big Boss, Forever Flourishing dies, Scalloped Contour dies, Stitched Rectangle dies, Blending Brush, Linen Thread, Stampin Dimensionals

Beauty of the Earth is a stunning pack of autumn colored Designer Series papers. While it’s designed to coordinate with the Beauty of Friendship bundle, I’ve found it works wonderfully with many different stamps and dies. I had a hunch that the Copper Foil sheets would really shine (lol) as a focal point with this design.

Maui Stamper Stampin Up Beauty of the Earth DSP Forever Flourishing Dies handmade card

I did a second version with a different paper from the same Designer Series paper assortment. I kept it simpler with fewer layers and a little spritz created by flicking my markers. I love the dash of Night of Navy in this paper – it’s not 100% realism, but sometimes I need a break from reality.

In the News You Can Use department, our seasonal sale is coming up! Mark your calendar and order early, as I predict these essentials will fly out the door. Save on

  • Card stock 10%
  • Stampin’ Up! ink (exclusive of bundles) 15%
  • Dies – yes, dies – 20%

When you order your ink pads, be sure to add the coordinating ink refill to your order. It’s just a few extra dollars, and trust me, you’ll be so glad to have it on hand! Plan your orders in the Online Store so you’re ready to go on November 16th.

Maui Stamper Stampin Up Start With Savings Demonstrator Promotion November 2021

How would you spend $75? Through November 30, you can sign up to save on every order you place – and join a community of friendship, inspiration and fantastic support. Your $75 turns into $125 of Stampin’ Up! product that YOU choose – free of shipping – and is your ticket to the Maui Stampers and the inside world of Stampin’ Up! Contact me with your questions or join now!

Maui Stamper Stampin Up Edens Garden

Don’t forget the gorgeous Eden’s Garden Suite, available now as a sneak peek from the January – June 2022 Mini Catalog.

Bloom Where You’re Planted

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I’ve been working on clearing out the stamp room and I found a package of printed card bases with coordinating envelopes from a Sale-a-bration long past. Bloom Where You’re Planted was on my craft desk too, as were some odds and ends from the Pattern Party DSP. Before I knew it, I had a card!

Maui Stamper Stampin Up Bloom Where You're Planted handmade card
  • Stamps: Bloom Where You’re Planted
  • Color Palette: Basic White, Memento Black, Granny Apple Green, Garden Green, Soft Suede
  • Accessories: Big Boss, Perfect Plants dies, Scalloped Contours dies, Pattern Party DSP, Bakers Twine Essentials, Stampin’ Dimensionals, retired card bases

My card stash is running low, and I’ve been working on relatively simple designs that I can produce in groups. I don’t like mass production, and I don’t like having a LOT of one card, but working in groups of 4 suits me well. It’s not too tedious to stamp and die cut in fours, and I can almost always use that many of one design. I can easily set up 4 cards-in-process in my craft space, making assembly go quickly.

Maui Stamper Stampin Up Bloom Where You're Planted handmade card

I snipped the ends of the sentiment panel with my snips – that’s not a die, although somewhere deep in my brain I think we have or had one in this shape. I separated the threads of the Black Bakers Twine so the knot wouldn’t be too thick, and everything else is just Stampin’ Dimensionals. You can see how easily this went together.

Maui Stamper Stampin Up November 2021

Would you like to save with every order you place? Join the Maui Stamper team – wherever you live – and take advantage of an incredible offer this month. You’ll choose a fully custom kit worth $125 in product for $75 with no further commitment required. But wait, there’s more 😁 You’ll gain access to early releases, an incredible online resource, exclusive demonstrator events, and a community of wonderful people who love crafting as much as you do. Contact me at the Maui Stamper with your question, or visit the Online Store to get started.

November 2021: Create with Friends

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For my November DIY Easel calendar, I used a Blending Brush technique to create a background, then featured a sentiment from Create with Friends. What do you think?

Maui Stamper Stampin Up DIY Easel Calendar November 2021 Create with Friends
  • Stamps: Create with Friends
  • Color Palette: Daffodil Delight, Mango Melody, Pumpkin Pie, Pale Papaya, Flirty Flamingo, Calypso Coral, Merry Merlot
  • Accessories: Blending Brushes

I began by masking across the top of the calendar portion. I found the center of the space above the masked line where I wanted to create my sunburst and used it as a pivot point.

I used a fresh piece of card stock as a mask and began by placing it diagonally through that pivot point, using the upper corners and the edge of my mask for alignment. I loaded up my blending brushes with Flirty Flamingo and starting blending! Once I was satisfied with the color intensity, I moved my card stock mask to the center of the calendar (again using that pivot point) and loaded another Blending Brush with Daffodil Delight. I have a few sets of brushes so that I can dedicate some to color like Daffodil Delight that don’t like to share.

Once I had the vertical and diagonal lines established, I moved my straight card stock mask around rather randomly, filling in the color as I liked. I enjoyed NOT measuring or calculating or planning ahead: most often I work that way, but I really enjoyed this spontaneous process. Maybe another time I’ll plot it out. Or not.

The final step was to add the sentiment in Merry Merlot to coordinate with the card stock mat I chose for November.

Maui Stamper Stampin Up DIY Easel Calendar November 2021 Create with Friends

I confess I was a little nervous as I removed the mask across the bottom, but it must have been my lucky day and it came off perfectly. This is an easy technique that is adaptable to a variety of uses, and I’d love to hear what you think of it.

If you’d like to create your own calendar, the 2022 DIY Calendar PDF is available for sale. Click on Contact the Maui Stamper and send me your email and I’ll invoice you. It’s just $5, and you’re welcome to create for your own use as well as for sale. Please note this is a PDF – you’ll receive a file and print your own copies.

Be sure you stop by to see what Cheryl and Crystal have created for November.

24 Hour Stamp Sale

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It’s live, it’s today, it’s a 24 Hour Stamp Sale!

Here’s your chance to stock up on beautiful Cling Red Rubber stamps at 15% savings. All Cling stamps from the Annual Catalog (with the exception of Host Reward stamps) are included in this sale – but run don’t walk! This sale ends at 11:50pm Mountain Time – ask Professor Google to convert that to your local time.

Take a look at all of these stamps! Pull out your Annual Catalog, or pop on over to the Online Store and check out Stamp Sale!

lg-print-cling-stamp-sale-flyer-102021-1Download

October 2021 DIY: Clever Cat (and pumpkin!)

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I’ve embraced a Halloween theme for October this year. I don’t always, but this goofy jack-o-lantern from Clever Cat stole my heart. How can you resist him with that Sorting Hat on top?

Maui Stamper Stampin Up October 2021 DIY Easel Calendar Clever Cats
  • Stamps: Clever Cat
  • Color Palette: Memento Black, Basic White, Pumpkin Pie, Cinnamon Cider, Cajun Craze
  • Accessories: Big Boss, Forever Flourishing dies, Paper Snips, Stampin’ Blends, Stampin’ Dimensionals

I fussy cut the cat and jack-o-lantern, and then cut apart a couple of leaf images from the Forever Flourishing dies to create some fall foliage (or what I imagine would be fall foliage, that’s not really a thing here on Maui.) Forever Flourishing is such a versatile set of dies!

Maui Stamper Stampin Up October 2021 DIY Easel Calendar Clever Cats

Stampin’ Blends are my favorite coloring medium, hands down. I’m still learning different techniques for color grading and shadowing, but that doesn’t stop me from playing with them every chance I get. It doesn’t have to be perfect, it’s handmade!

Be sure you stop by to see what Cheryl and Crystal have created for October.

If you’d like to create your own calendar, the 2022 DIY Calendar PDF is available for sale. Click on Contact the Maui Stamper and send me your email and I’ll invoice you. It’s just $5, and you’re welcome to create for your own use as well as for sale. Please note this is a PDF – you’ll receive a file and print your own copies.

Color and Contour and a CASE

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Color & Contour just keeps coming back to my desktop. The floral images are so appealing and the sentiments are right on target – and in such a great combination of fonts. I love such versatile stamp sets!

Maui Stamper Stampin Up Pattern Party Color and Contour
  • Stamps: Color & Contour
  • Color Palette: Poppy Parade, Mint Macaron, Bumblebee, Very Vanilla
  • Accessories: Stampin Blends, Big Boss, Scallop Contour Dies, Pattern Party DSP (Host), Dimensionals
Maui Stamper Stampin Up Pattern Party Color and Contour

I find so much inspiration in the work of other crafters. Chris Smith created THIS gorgeous card for a SplitCoast Color Challenge, and the only real adjustment I made was to change out the flowers to these beauties from Color & Contour.

The Pattern Party Designer Series Paper is my Go-To these days! One side is printed in color, the reverse is in black and white, and every sheet is gorgeous. It’s available as a Host Reward with a qualifying workshop.

Ready to add your own creative touch? I’d be honored if you CASE’d my CASE (Copy And Share with Everyone)! All the supplies you need are available in my Online Store.

Have a big Wish List? Joining Stampin’ Up! is a great way to bring it all home – and you’ll enjoy all the benefits (discount, early access, exclusive events) plus during Sale-a-bration you can choose one of these bundles in addition to all the great products in your kit. $99, no tax, no shipping, no obligation to ever buy again. Contact me to chat about the possibilities, or visit my site to learn more. I promise no hard sell!! It has to be right for you.

Maui Stamper Stampin Up JOIN Sale-a-bration 2021 Free Bundle

2022 DIY Easel Calendar PDF now Available!

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Ready to try your hand at these nifty little calendars?

Maui Stamper Stampin Up 2022 DIY Easel Calendar PDF

It’s still just $5, and you can still make all the copies you want for gifting, personal use, or even craft sales.  If a fellow crafter asks you for a copy, I’d be very grateful if you’d direct then to me for the PDF. 

I recommend you print your calendars on Basic White card stock (regular, not thick). My printer has issues, so I send my file to a local print shop and use their high-end copy machines to get the best possible results. It’s worth the trouble to me! 

If you need inspiration, use the blog search function and type in DIY. I’ve been making these since 2013 (gasp) so be prepared for some browsing.

I just need your email – click on Contact Me and I’ll invoice you. Once you’ve paid, your PDF, a page of 2022 covers (for gifting) and the cutting instructions will be flying to your inbox via the wonders of the internet!

If you’re in need of Basic White card stock or stamping supplies for your own DIY masterpiece, shop HERE.

September 2021 DIY: Hand-Penned Petals

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Don’t put any money on this yet, but I think Hand Penned Petals may be my favorite set from the 21-22 Annual Catalog. I love the images, and what’s more, they are REALLY fun to color with Stampin’ Blends.

Maui Stamper Stampin Up September 2021 DIY Easel Calendar Hand Penned Petals
  • Stamps: Hand Penned Petals
  • Color Palette: Basic White, Daffodil Delight, Calypso Coral, Shaded Spruce, Black
  • Accessories: Stampin’ Blends, Big Boss, Penned Flowers dies, Stampin’ Dimensionals, Multi-Purpose Glue, Paper Snips, Blending Brushes

Because this image doesn’t quite fill the space, I was looking for something subtle to add behind it. I tried various leaves and backgrounds, but even when I used a very light hand it felt like too much. The moment I realized this was a perfect job for Blending Brushes, I knew I’d found what I needed.

Maui Stamper Stampin Up September 2021 DIY Easel Calendar Hand Penned Petals

I did a bit of fussy cutting and layered the flowers and leaves. It’s absolutely not necessary as this image stands on its own very well, but I was in a moooood.

Maui Stamper Stampin Up September 2021 DIY Easel Calendar Hand Penned Petals

Please take a moment to visit Cheryl and Crystal and see their September 2021 DIY Easel calendars!

And, yes, I’m happy to announce that today I have the 2022 DIY Calendar PDF available for sale. Click on Contact the Maui Stamper and send me your email and I’ll invoice you. It’s just $5, and you’re welcome to create for your own use as well as for sale, but please don’t share the PDF. Share the link to this post and encourage your friends to support a small business instead. You’ll feel so much better if you do.

Maui Stamper Stampin Up SALE-a-bration 2021 8-3 to 9-30

Today begins Month #2 of SALE-a-bration 2021 #2! Your qualifying order earns exclusive merchandise free of charge, including Beautifully Penned 12×12 Designer Series Paper. It coordinates perfectly with the Hand Penned stamps.That’s what you expect from Stampin’ Up!, right?

Shop HERE.

Stampin’ Blends and the Alcohol Technique

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I spent a marvelous afternoon a couple of weeks ago playing with Stampin’ Blends and the alcohol technique in Crystal’s Stampin’ Garage. It took a few tries to get the hang of it, but once we got over that bump we couldn’t stop. All you really need are Stampin’ Blends, vellum, a small paintbrush, and 91% rubbing alcohol.

(Who knew 91% Rubbing Alcohol was so hard to find? Thanks, Covid.)

Maui Stamper Stampin Up Stampin Blends Alcohol Technique Happy Birthday card
  • Stamps: Art Gallery
  • Color Palette: Basic White, Misty Moonlight, Garden Green, Balmy Blue
  • Accessories: Big Boss, Stitched Rectangle dies, Forever Flourishing dies, Poinsettia dies, vellum card stock, 91% rubbing alcohol, small paint brush, small dropper, Stampin’ Spritzer, Stampin’ Dimensionals

You need a non-porous paper like vellum for this technique to work. It’s pretty simple: add color with Stampin’ Blends in any pattern you like. Use 91% rubbing alcohol to reactivate the ink and gently move it around, color by color. Finally, add interest by dripping the alcohol with a small dropper, the Stampin’ Spritzer, or the flick of your paintbrush.

I chose to add these leafy elements, but some of my results needed nothing more than a sentiment. I learned that I like more monochromatic combinations, especially blues and greens. (HUGE surprise there, eh?)

Maui Stamper Stampin Up SALE-a-bration 2021 8-3 to 9-30

Shop early, shop often – your supplies for this project or your holiday crafting can earn free stamps, paper and accessories! SALE-a-bration runs through 30 September 2021, but supplies are limited! Shop HERE.